Gate-latch.



110.895,445. PATIENTEDAUG. 11.1908, L1B, PINCE.

GATE LATCH.

i APPLICATION FILED OCT. 3. 1901.

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f Infusi-TED STATES PATENT oFFroE.

LOREN E. FINCK, OF THREE FORK-S, ltlONTNA.

GATE-LATCH.

- To all whore it may concern.:

Forks, in the county of Gallatin and State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gatc-Latches; and l do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters and ligures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this spcciication. i

My invention relates to gate latches and has for its object to )rovide a device which is designed particularly for use on gates in fences inclosing stock. "l,

.s is well known gates are frequently opened by stock and in some instances itis an extremely difficult mattei' to keep the stoel; confined owing to their ability to open the gates.

)ly invention has for its object to provide a simple and inexpensive gate latch which has been found by experience cannot be o ned by stock.

'ith this object in view my invention consistsin the novel construction and arrangement of the gate latch as will be hereinafter fully described and afterwards specificallyv pointed out in the appended claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a pelspective view illustrating a fence pt and the gate latch arranged thereonand Fig- 2 is a top plan view showing the. gate fence post and lat-ch, the upper frame or guanl of the iatch being removed.

Like numerals of reference indicate the saine parts throughout the two figures in xa-bieb, 1 indicates a gate post, 2 the gate having'the'post 3, and l indicates the gatelatch.

The gate latch comprises an upper horizontal guard or frame 5 and lower horizontal guard or frame 6, two pivoted dogs 7 and spring S in engagement with said dogs. dogs T are arrangedgbetwcen the horizontal guards 5 and G and pivoted therein by means of pins 9, while suitable-Jertical stops 10 are provided to limit the movement of the dogs 7 s shown in Fig. 2. Thespring S is secured to vthe post 1 by means of"a spike or Specification o! Letters Patent. Application tiled. October 3, 1907. Serial No. 395,740.

l l i i i 1 l Patented Aug. -11, 1908.

other fastening 1l. As will be seen from Fig. 2 the dogs 7 are covered by the guards 5 and 6 except the inner portions 12 which extend slight.y beyond the said guards 5 and 6 to .engage t-he gate, while the outer portions 13 of the dogs 7 are much narrower than the .inner portions 12, thus it will be seen that the dous 7 arc tapered.

As shown in Fig. l the pivoting pins 9 are provided with a, hooked up )er end 14 so as to permit ready withdrawal o the pins in order to remove the dogs 7.

Having thus described the several parts of my invention its o )eration is as follows: In closing the gate 2 the post 3 strikes the inner portion 12 of one of t 1c dogs 7, forcing said dog into position shown in dot-ted lines in Fig. 2. As soon, however, as the gate is in its central position the spring 8 forces the dog 7. into its normal position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, thereby securely holding the gate in a closed position. In order to open the gat-e the end 13 of one of the dogs is pulled away from its guard 1() into position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 which allows the gate to be swung toward the operator. However it will be seen that owing to the guards 5 and 6 which cover the dogs, with the exception of the enlarged inner ends 12, that stock cannot manipulate the dogs 7 in order to open the gate, as said dogs are covered by the guards 5 and 6 as clearly shown.

Having thus fully described my invention what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is;-

A gate latch comprising a horizontal upper guard, a horizontal lower guard, two ta ered dogs arranged between said upper and ower guards, a pin for each dog entering said upper and lower guards for pivoting the dogs within the saidguards, a single s )ring in engagement with the inner ends ol' said dogs, the whole arranged in such manner that the said guards protect the said dogs and the said dogs are held in locking position by a The single spring.

n testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LOREN E. FINCH.

llritiiesses:

H. B. SMITH, R. R. FINLAY. 

